The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-08-04
The Blue Grass Country.


KNoTT-INDUsTRIA ENTERPRIsEs-
MASON, IIOGE 81 GOOCH-LOUIsyILLE-
PERSONAL---VERY. HOME OF THE THOR
OUGHBREDs-A MONUMENT TO TEN
BROCK, &C., &C.
Especial Correspondence to the VIRGINIAN.l
FRANKFORT, Ky, July 20, 'S7.
1t is an age of fundamental economies.
and as Time and Space constitute two Of
the most important factors in business en-
terprises, the agencies which concentrate
into the one and annihilate the other
must necessarily be public benefactors.
To take the cars of the Newport News
and Mississippi Valley system at Stanton
at II CLOCK at night and find yourself in
Louisville within eighteen hours, dis
lance of 600 miles-illustrates the pro-
gress of improvement and the wonderful
strides that are making in discounting
distance and practically utilizing the fleet
ing hours. Not only is the rapid transit
thus indicated marvellous in the achieve
ment it notes, but the developments along
the line of this splendid railroad system,
are matters of wonder. Since last your
correspondent passed over this line, a new
furnace has been erected at Longdale !;
two 100-ton furnaces have been erected
and are in operation at Low Moor iron
beds have been opened ; not less than two
thousand coke furnaces have been estab-
lished and all along the route the evidences
of new life and material wealth are appa-
rent. At Huntington where the shops of
the railroad are located, we noticed new
freight cars, just turned out, marked
"Oregon Short Line" and Southern Pa
cifc Fast Line" suggestive of the vast
reach of the Huntington system, and the
immense range of territory it penetrates
and accommodates. At Ashland and Cat
lettsburg, the smoke and fire OF furnaces
and rolling mills told of the industries
there operated and trains ladened with
iron ore and coal gave evidence of the
wealth of the hills of this portion of Ken
lucky.
A close watch was kept by passengers
for Morehead, a locality which has recent
" become notorious as the seat of Craig
Tolliver's empire. 1t is a small town of
fifty houses. probably and as the cars passed
the signs of half dozen saloons were
counted. The traffic these signs denoted.
told the story of Morehead's disturbances
as we'll as its fall, and of the bloody con-
flicts which have of late signaliZed this
place. 1t is nestled between high hills
and surrounded by rough, primitive
country, with no evidence of thrift and
industry except few stacks of lumber
which may have stood there for months
The town is almost deserted, yet the peo
pie have not left the vicinity, as it was
rumored armed bodies of the warning fac
lions are camped in the county, ready for
bloody encounters as soon as the vigilance
of the law and order league abated. The
source and inspiration of the difficulties
among this people may be directly trace
able to the saloon, as the first murder
connected with the present disturbance
was accidental, the person killed not be
ing party to the hostilities which have
|
tin factions, and fell by stray shot from {
drunken rowdy.
This country is naturally rich, and take!
to blue grass when the timber is cut. Will
sober, industrious population. observing
the laws and cultivating the influences Of
civization, it would soon be changed from
the dominion of a set of desperate cut
:. Threats into beautiful and fruitful homes
remunerating well-directed labor and con
tributing to the wealth of the Common
wealth.
From Winchester on to Louisville witt
here and there wild forbidding strip O.
territory, it is a continuous stretch OF al
beautiful country as ever the eye fel
upon The farms are we'll titled, neatly
! cared for. and improved with tasteful
buildings, surrounded by flowers an(
shrubbhry, which give them an air of com
fort and luxury rarely observed in the I'll
raj districts of any State. The luxuriant
fields of corn, tobacco and grass give the
source of Kentucky's prosperity an(
wealth and the assurance of future
growth commensurate with the wonder
full productions of the soil, and the tobac
co, whisky, mules, short.horn cattle, i'm
proved breeds of sheep and hogs and thor
oughbred trotters and racers. which thrive
: and grow to perfection on Kentucky blue
grass.
Frankfort is the capital of Kentucky
with populatiun of about 10000 people,
genial, courteous and warm-hearted. 1t
is located on the Kentucky river, and
Spreads out over hills something similar
to Staunton. The capitol building is COM
modlous, neat and inviting, and with a
green sward and beautiful grove of stately
trees surrounding, presents charming
appearance. The Executive mansion has
but little of modern architecture about it..
1t reflects the matter-of-fact habits and
aspiration of the earlier settlers, and was
designed and erected more for comfort
than show. Gov. Proctor Knott, he OF
Duluth fame, is the presiding officer OF
the State Much to the surprise of your
correspondent. he found in him an old ac-
quaintance, who at the age of 2S, was At
torney General of Missouri in 1853. He
is gentleman of culture, broad, practical
views of public questions. superb con-
versationalist, and resources Of informa-
ton and suggestion, which make him a
delightful companion. One of the most
unfortunate events of his life was the de-
livery of that Duluth speech. While it
attracted the admiration of the country
for its wit and humor, its 81 lendid image
ry and elegant sentences, it Obscured
the more solid attachments of its gifted
author, and left the impression on the
public mind that he was a meteoric genius
flashing through the intellectual firma-
ment, to be quickly burned out by the in
tensity of it's own heat. He, how
ever, is solid men, and has in him the
stuff out of which statesman are made
He dares to do right as he understands the
right, and has the nerve to face public
caInor and stand by his own convictions
of duty, fearless and careless of conse-
quences. Kentucky has never had an
ADLER Executive. and as the years roll on
| opd tba M In iudnn,ont of fhn nnop1a ran.